Email marketing tricks that will reap you treats: How you can make the most of spooky season 

As a marketer with a huge love of the horror movie genre (and all things spooky), October marks the start of my favourite time of year – spooky season! Classic horror movies have creeped back into the cinema, scare attractions open their doors, pumpkin patches fill up, my carefully curated Halloween party classics playlist is on repeat, and of course, there’s the all-important fancy dress costume planning.

But in the world of email marketing, we start to see our inboxes fill with eerie subject lines, spooky social posts, and brands everywhere are finding clever ways to trick and treat their audiences.

Before you start brewing your own creepy email marketing and social campaign ideas, it’s worth digging a little deeper first.

Understanding why people love Halloween and the psychology behind what makes fear fun can help you create content that really resonates, entertains, and drives engagement.

🎃 What is the Origin and Evolution of Halloween?

Halloween dates back over 2000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated on October 31st to mark the end of harvest and the start of winter. It was also a time when people believed the veil between the living and the dead lifted.

To protect themselves from the roaming spirits, the Celts lit up bonfires and wore costumes made of animal hides, these traditions later blended with Roman festivals and Christian influences like All Hallows’ Eve.

When Irish and Scottish immigrants brought these customs to North America in the 19th century, Halloween began to take on its modern form with pumpkin carving, costumes, and trick-or-treating, replacing the ancient rituals.

By the mid-20th century, it had shifted from a folk celebration to a community and family event, and soon after, into the commercial holiday it is today.

Now worth billions globally, Halloween THRIVES on creativity, from costumes and décor to viral social media trends and themed (email) marketing campaigns.

It’s a celebration of fun, imagination, and frights to boot!

👻 What is the Psychology Behind the Fear Factor?

There is a lot of research into the science behind why (some of us) enjoy being spooked – particularly around Halloween.

For the fellow lovers of all things spooky, our brains get a weird but wonderful kick by flirting with danger in a safe setting, but it’s important to get the balance right so it works for the majority.

Here’s the psychology behind it (and this is worth noting as you can utilise this in your marketing strategy):

Fear feels good when we’re in control.

The whole ride starts when the body’s alarm system (also known as your amygdala) ramps up: adrenaline, cortisol, heart racing. Essentially triggering your fight-or-flight response.

But, because you know you’re ultimately safe, whether that’s at a scare attraction, in a cinema, or even at home; there’s a wave of relief when the threat passes, and that feels good.

According to experts like sociologist Margee Kerr, choosing to experience fear gives us control. We get the rush without the risk. That sense of power over it or having “survived” the scare is satisfying.

Shared fear builds bonds.

Whether it’s screaming together, getting caught out by a jump scare moment, and then laughing about it, these moments of shared emotion connect us.

Whether friends, family, or your audience, shared scares and/or laughs = a stronger emotional bond.

But there is a sweet spot, and it’s important to find the balance.

It’s worth noting that whilst there are some of us who love a scare, a lot of us aren’t fans!

Too little fear = meh, boring, uninteresting. Too much = disturbing, even traumatic!

Research from the likes of the Recreational Fear Lab shows that people enjoy fear when it’s just outside their comfort zone, but not wildly overwhelming. The tension + release is what does the magic.

Now that you know the history of the Halloween season and the psychology behind how fear, fun, and connection drive engagement, let’s look at the marketing tricks you can utilise that will reap you treats. 🎃

💌 Frightfully Good Email Marketing and Social Media Ideas for Marketers

Halloween gets the balance between emotion and engagement. It’s a seasonal event that allows you to:

• Reconnect with lapsed customers using light-hearted storytelling,
• Experiment with playful visuals
• Test creative segmentation and automation ideas ahead of Black Friday and the bigger holiday season.

So, whether you sell clothes, cosmetics, candles, or even marketing software for B2B and Ecommerce companies, this season is a great opportunity to show off some personality before we head into the Christmas festivities.

Here are a few tried-and-tested ways to channel Halloween energy into your campaigns:

Fear of missing out

Use countdowns, “Don’t ghost this deal” language, and disappearing offers to trigger FOMO.

Mystery in the inbox

Tease your email content subject line. Try things like “Enter if you dare…” or “Something wicked your way comes 👀” for a playful open-rate boost.

Limited-time offers and discounts just for spooky season

Create exclusive, short-lived deals; the scarcity builds excitement and urgency.

Dress up your creatives

Don’t hold back on the visuals – switch your email designs, social creatives or even your website theme for the month. Black, red, purple, green and orange palettes work great for a haunting look and feel. Creepy fonts or animated GIFs can also go a long way to get your audience in the vibe.

User participation

Run a giveaway during October in the run-up to Halloween to keep your audience engaged. Asking users to reshare the post to their stories on platforms like Instagram and tag a friend in the comments as an entry requirement is also a great way to promote your brand further.

Fear-turned-fun

Not every campaign needs to be outlandishly scary; sometimes humour works just as well. “Our prices are so low, it’s scary” never gets old. What to think of this one from ThreadHeads: ‘Freak in the sheets.’

🧙‍♀️ One Final Banishing Spell

It’s important to remember that when it comes to your Halloween social media and email marketing, you don’t always need to play it safe. In a crowded inbox, the most haunting message is the one that dares to do something a little bit different from your usual communications.

So, dust off your creativity spell book, embrace the eerie, and craft campaigns that leave your audience delightfully on edge (and most importantly, ready to click!)